Drywall Labor Cost in Colorado
Colorado sits in the upper half of the ranking, 11th of 49, with installers earning a median of $29.70 an hour, 5% more than the US median of $28.33. One rung up, New Hampshire pays $0.09 more an hour; one rung down, Ohio pays $0.17 less.
- BLS May 2025 data
- 11th of 49 by median wage
Your estimate
4' x 8' sheets · 10% waste allowance4' x 8' drywall
Area
Materials
Cost breakdown
Quantities include a 10% waste allowance and standard deductions of 21 sq ft per door, 15 sq ft per window and 112 sq ft per garage door. The sheet count comes from laying the board out wall by wall, plus 10% as spare sheets. Round up when in doubt, an extra sheet costs less than a second trip.
How Colorado compares
- Closest median wages
- New Hampshire $29.79, Ohio $29.53 and Minnesota $29.46
| State | Rank | Median | Against Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | 9 | $30.09 | $0.39 more |
| New Hampshire | 10 | $29.79 | $0.09 more |
| Colorado | 11 | $29.70 | this state |
| Ohio | 12 | $29.53 | $0.17 less |
| Minnesota | 13 | $29.46 | $0.24 less |
A 12 x 12 room in Colorado
| Low end, $1.15/sq ft | $607 |
|---|---|
| High end, $2.45/sq ft | $1,294 |
| New Hampshire | $660 to $1,399 | $52.80 more than Colorado at the low end |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | $607 to $1,267 | same low end as Colorado |
| Minnesota | $660 to $1,373 | $52.80 more than Colorado at the low end |
Against the US range of $634 to $1,320, Colorado labor for this room is $26.40 less at the low end, scaled from wages rather than bids (method). Also see the room's sheet count and its paint estimate.
What drywall workers earn in Colorado
| Occupation | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installers | $21.40 | $23.43 | $29.70 | $33.77 | $38.20 | $29.78 |
| Tapers | $23.67 | $24.58 | $26.20 | $26.30 | $26.89 | $25.54 |
| Installers, yearly | $44,512 | $48,734 | $61,776 | $70,242 | $79,456 | $61,940 |
| US installers | $18.49 | $22.81 | $28.33 | $35.69 | $49.04 | $30.58 |
| US tapers | $21.00 | $25.35 | $32.82 | $42.57 | $51.50 | $34.96 |
Half of the installers in Colorado earn between $23.43 and $33.77 an hour, for a mean of $61,940 a year. With a location quotient of 1.01, installers make up about the same share of jobs in Colorado as they do nationally. The mean, $29.78, and the median, $29.70, sit within a fraction of a percent of each other. From the 10th percentile, $21.40, to the 90th, $38.20, installer pay spans $16.80 an hour, 55% of the $30.55 national spread. Tapers, who tape and finish the joints, earn a median of $26.20 in Colorado, 12% less than installers.